VZCZCXRO3094
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0039 0091023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091023Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1185
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1557
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2936
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5814
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3495
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5312
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF ID
SUBJECT: BURMESE AND BANGLADESHI REFUGEES IN ACEH 
 
¶1.  Summary. 177 Burmese and 16 Bangladeshi refugees were rescued by 
Indonesian fisherman off of the island of Sabang in Aceh after 
drifting through the Indian Ocean for nearly a week. The refugees 
were bound for Malaysia and are currently at a naval base at Sabang 
pending a decision from the Indonesian foreign ministry about what 
should be done next.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  On January 8, Indonesian fishermen off the coast of Aceh 
discovered a boat with 193 refugees from Bangladesh and Burma 
drifting 38km north of Aceh province's Wei Island. All but two of 
the refugees were adult males, the two remaining being teen-aged 
boys. The refugees, 177 of whom are Burmese and 16 of whom are 
Bangladeshis, were rescued and taken to a local Indonesian naval 
base. The refugees claim that their boat had been disabled by a 
storm and that they had been drifting for a week in the Indian 
Ocean. Naval officials told Indonesian media that they believe the 
refugees were headed for Malaysia. 
 
¶3.  The refugees are currently housed at the Sabang navy base on Wei 
Island pending a decision from the Indonesian Department of Foreign 
Affairs about what should be done with the refugees. A senior 
ministry official is at Sabang now. Local officials in Sabang told 
Consulate Medan on January 9 that they believed the refugees would 
eventually be transferred to immigration facilities in North 
Sumatra. Authorities told the local media that the refugees were 
suffering from malnutrition and dehydration, with one minor injury 
also reported. Forty-three of the refugees were transferred to 
Sabang General Hospital after their boat was towed to the Sabang 
Naval Base. A further 36 refugees are in the Sabang Naval Hospital. 
Sabang island officials and the local chapter of the Indonesian Red 
Cross have also promised aid and logistical assistance. IOM 
representatives are also standing by to assist but have not yet been 
given access to the group as of January 9. 
 
HEFFERN